stephenson



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. STEPHENSON.

CABLE OAR Patented Feb. 18, 1890.

Z iamvewfoz 3513 atl'ozmego (No Model.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 2. J. STEPHENSON.

CABLE; OAR.

Patented Feb. 18, 1890.

N. PEIERS, Pholo-Lhhugnphan Wuhhgmn. n. c

4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.) 4

J. STEPHENSON.

OABLB OAR.

No. 421,628. Patented Feb. 18, 1890.

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J. STEPHENSON. CABLE GAR.

No. 421,628. Patented Feb. 18,1890.

3513 GuMX UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

' OHN STEPHENSON, OF NElV YORK, N. Y.

-CABLE CAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.421,628, dated February18, 1890.

Application filed September 7, 1889. Serial No. 323,248. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OHN STEPHENSON, a citizen of the United States,residing at New York, in the county and State of New York, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Cable Cars, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to cars adapted to be propelled by cable, and moreparticularly to whatis known as the improved open summer car, which isprovided with seats for passengers extending across the car, withoutbeing broken by aisle or passage-way, and allfacing forward, the sidesof the car being provided with spring-roller curtains and fender-stepsextending along the car from end to end for the use of passengers,conductor, and gripman. The front portion of the car is arranged for thegripman with his grip and brake levers.

My invention consists in a cable car having a combination of partspossessing certain features of construction and the arrangement thereof,substantially as hereinafter more particularly pointed out.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of thisspecification, Figure 1 1 is a side elevation of an open summer carembodying my improvements; and Fig. 2 2 is a plan view showing-the truckand the mechanism connected therewith, the bottom frame-work of the carand its various attachments being shown at the ends, but cut away at thecenter portion of the figure to display the truck.

The car-body A- rests upon cushions a between the body and therunning-gear, making contact therewith only by the way of india-rubberor other flexible non-conducting substance, operating to take up thejars and jolts and prevent them from being transmitted to the car-body.

Except the hand-levers and connections, all

' the grip and brake mechanism is attached to or borne by the truck,which consists, essentially, of a frame secured at or near its fourcorners to the four axle-box shells within the jaws or pedestals securedto the car-body through rubber or other non-conducting substances. Afurther refinement which is illustrated in the present instance is tohave the car-body A cushioned on four pedestals or axle-box guides B,resting on eight bearingsprings b, sustained by eight pendent swinginglimbs of four saddles I), supported astride the four axle-boxes, whichconstruction is adapted to allow the car-axle, with its wheels, to bemoved transversely of the car without the car-body being materiallyaffected. The front seat of the car is cut away or provided with anindent Z, having three inclosed sides, forming aspace for the gripman toswing the grip and brake levers without danger of contact with thepassengers.

The truck 0 is formed of two sills c, fitting pendants of the axle-boxshells D, to which the sill ends are secured, the sills being connectedby two composite cross-rails, each cross-rail being made of two pieces,with one end of each piece framed into a sill c and crossing each otherat an outward projection midway between the sills, the loose endsuniting with the ends of the cheek-sills O, which, with the cross-rails,inclose a well or space WV of irregular diamond form adapted,

to hold the grip mechanism G and its carrier G, extending to the end ofthe car-body, by which it is supported.

The grip-mechanism carrier borne by the 'truck has an extension greaching to the front end of the car, and is there suspended to thecar-bottom byalink motion or flexible hanger g which allows theextension freedom to move in any direction in accord with thegrip-mechanism carrier as it is impelled by the moving cable E. Theextension of the grip-mechanism carrier hung from the car-floor has atits front end a housing g, in which the grip-lever M is fulcrumed at gbelow the car-floor, and the housing carries also the ratchet-toothedsector g for the pawl g of the grip-lever M, connected with the gripmechanism.

All the elements of the combination be tween and including the gripmechanism and its operating-lever and connections are adapted tobe'controlled as to their location by the slotted rail, When passingcurves or for other purposes the slot variesfrom the middle line betweenthe tram-rails, the slot-rail obliges the grip mechanism to conform tothe deviations. Therefore the grip-carrier must also submit to suchdeviations, which sometimes are so great that the construction of theusual form of truck will not permit so much side motion; but thisdifiiculty is here overcome by providing the transverse bars G of thegrip-mechanism carrier with sliding sleeves G to which the grip-machineG is connected, the sleeves having standing posts g holding thegrip-machine and adapted to slide sidewise on the transverse bars, asthe slot-rail may require. The sleeveposts g are adapted to sockets atthe upper corners of the grip-machine, which sockets drop easily on theposts and are there locked. The tendency of the cable when gripped is tolift the front corner of the grip-machine from its posts, which isprevented by the grip-post lock g \Vhen the car is required to leave thecable track, it is necessary for the car to be detached from thecable-grip mechanism and leave it in the slot-rail or to lift thecablegrip machine out of the slot-rail. The latter course is adopted inthis car.

The grip-carrier G and its extension are adapted to carry thegrip-machine G at the car center, with its operating-lever M at the carfront in the housing m, suspended from the car-floor, the operatorslever being in a properly-adjusted position to be preserved, though thecarrier is subjected to the change of position by control of theslot-rail and cable. The o1: erating-lever M is bent outward above thefulcrum to form a crescent or angle M for the head of the energy-rod Mto connect with the lever outside of a direct line between the foot andthe head of the lever, and adapted, with the energy-rod, when the leveris pushed forward, to form a knee-joint, and thereby intensify theenergy of the grip-operator when seizing the cable.

The grip-machine is adapted to be lifted up and out of the well 7 of thetruck, where it is supported upon the grip-carrier, through an opening071' in the car-floor, which operatlon is facilitated by a metalarch-bar an overhead conforming to the shape of the carceiling, witheach end of the arch-bar united by hooks and eyes m or tenon and mortiseor other known method to a metal plate secured to the side walls of thecar-body.

At the center of the arch-bar is an eye m or a receptacle fitted with atackle on" or other device for lifting the grip-machine up and out ofits place, and secured to the rafters of the car-body roof is a brace mwith limbs astride the crown of the arch-bar, adapted to steady andstiffen the arch-bar.

The opening in the car-floor is closed by each half of a cover-door mhinged to the car-floor at the forward edge of the opening, and eachhalfdoor is subdivided and couplehinged at the under side, so that whenlifted each half-section will support itself in vertical position at theend of the floor-opening.

In addition to the central well IV, adapted to the needs of thegrip-machine and its holder, there is on each side of the truck asmaller well w, of four sides, formed by the sill c, cheek-sills C, andthe two composite cross-rails. Each side of each of the small wells isadapted to receive and afford support for a half-section of thewheel-brake mechanism and a half-section of the track-brake mechanism,for two halves of each mechanism being joined to its own unionrock-shaft sup ported by the car-bottom, and eachunion rockshaftconnected by an articulated rod with the operators lover or handle ofeach system of wheel-brake and track-brake, as hereinafter described.

The wheel-brake mechanism has in each of the smaller wells 10 of thetruck a half-section consisting of the following parts, viz: Twowheel-brake shoes h on the ends of two shoe-bars h, connected by twoarticulated bars 71 in union with the arms of one wheelbrake rock-shafth, which wheel-brake rockshaft has also the ends of one wheel-brakecoupler rod h connected with the wheelbrake union rock-shaft 7L5,attached to the under side of the car-body floor. This wheelbrake unionrock-shaft secured to the car body floor unites the two parts of thewheelbrake mechanism located in the smaller wells at the truck sides andis connected by the wheel-brake energy-rod h with the operators lever Hat the car end.

Each half of the track-brake mechanism consists of one track-brake shoe7', connected with two rock-shafts t" coupled, and with therod-connection 1? with the track-brake union rock-shaft 71 (attached tothe bottom of the car-body) is located beneath the wheel-brake mechanismin the truck, and is adapted to receive the energy of the operator atlever I, located at the car front, by means of an articulated rod 2",connected to the union rockshaft secured to the car-floor, and combinesthe parts of the track-brake mechanism located in the smaller wells ofthe truck.

Though a cable isthe motive power used in this kind of a car, it isnecessary sometimes to apply horses, and also to provide that the carmoved by the cable may haul after it other cars; and it is thereforenecessary to provide draw-heads N, adapted to such kinds of service. Thecar carries at the front end of the car-body a dead-block O, forming ahunter. The upper surface of the dead-block is level and projectsseveral inches in front of the dash-board P. In this dead-block is avertical hole adapted to receive the vertical shank o of a draw-head N,above which shank are open jaws, forming a jaw-pull, with its open mouthforward, and a vertical p ull-pin 72, passing through the jaws, isadapted to hold the pole or whiffletrees for horse service. hen not thusin use, this draw-head may be swung round toward the dash and the lowerend of the draw-pin n inserted into a hole 41 in the dead-block adaptedto retain the draw-head from casual contact.

Objections exist against tramm cling the carbody by connecting with itcars to be hauled behind it. Therefore this car has a truck with agrip-machine carrier which can'be put in motion before the car-body ismoved, and the pulling apparatus of the car is by a spring Q secured tothe end bar of the'truck and connected by a chain. R with the slidingbar S of the spring T, housed in the car-bottom, from which sliding bara stiff bar U extends to the car end and terminates in the hunter-headN, with a suitable device to couple and move a rear car without jerkingthe motive car.

To facilitate the passing of curves, the outward section of the rearpulling apparatus is a stiff bar with a suitable head N for connectingthe car behind it, and this stiff bar is sustained by a short chain o,loosely hung on a metal bar V below the nose-piece X of the rearplatform, and it is adapted to allow transverse or vertical motion ofthe drawhead.

WVhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A cable car having in the floor of the car-body a well-hole, a truckbeneath the wellhole having a well, and a grip-machine carrier supportedin the well and extended to the oar-front and there linked to thecar-bod y floor, as and for the purpose described.

2. A car with truck having its grip-m achine carrier extended to thecar-front, the gripmachine being in the carrier, and the operating-leverfulcrumed in a housing linked'to the car-body bottom, the grip-machineand its operating-lever connected by the energyrod and adapted topreserve the adjusted distance between the operating-lever and thegrip-machine while the latter changes position in the truck ascontrolled by the cable and slot-rail, substantially as and for thepurpose described. Y

3. A car with cable-grip machine at the middle of the car-truck and anenergy-rod connecting the machine with its operatinglever fulcrumed atits lower end and linked to the car-body near its front, the lever abovethe fulcrum being bent outward to form a crescent or angle for the headof the energyrod to connect with the lever outside of a direct linebetween the foot and the head of the lever, and adapted, with theenergy-rod, when the lever is pushed forward, to form a kneejoint andintensify the energy of the gripoperator when seizing the cable,substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. A car with half portions of the operating mechanisms of thewheel-brake located in the upper part of each of the smaller wells atthe sides of the car-truck, the shoe ends of each shoe-bar resting on adiagonal cross-rail connected' by plunger-rod with the wheel-brakerock-shaft, having an arm and articulated rod-connection with thewheel-brake-coup ling rock-shaft secured to the under side of thecar-body floor and energy-rod connection with the operators lever orhandle, attached directly or indirectly to the car-floor at the frontend of the car-body, from which place the described mechanism is adaptedto apply the intensified energy of the operator simultaneously to thefour brake-shoes against four car-wheels, substantially as and for thepurpose described.

5. A car with half portions of the operating I to the car-body floor andhavingenergy-rod connection with the operating lever or handle, alsoattached to the car-floor at the front end of the car-body, from whichplace the described mechanism is adapted to apply the intensified energyof the operator to the track brake shoes simultaneously at each side ofthe car, substantially as and for the purpose described.

6. A car with draw-head attached to the dead-block by a vertical memberin a hole or socket of the dead-block and capable of being swung aroundsidewise from the front toward the dash, substantially as and for thepurpose described.

" '7.- A car with draw-head attached to the car-body dead-block byvertical member in a hole or socket of the dead-block, the jaws of thedraw-head being open mouthed with vertical hole through both jawsbefitting a pull-pin adapted to hold within the jaws a pole or whiftles,substantially as and for the purpose described. 7

8. A car with open-jaw draw-head and a pull-pin vertically through thejaws, the rear part of the draw-head being in a vertical hole of thedead-block, adapting the draw-head to be turned around sidewise towardthe dash with the point end of the pull-pin in a second hole of thedead-block adapted to retain thedraw-head and pull-pin in a safeposition when out of service, substantially as and for the purposedescribed.

9. A car with its draw apparatus consisting of a chain connecting thetruck with the sliding bar of a double-acting spring secured to thebottom of the car-body, and a stiff bar extending from the sliding barto the car end and supported by a short chain pendent on a transversebar under the platform nosepiece, adapted to allow the draw-head freemotion as controlled by the annexed car, sub

stantially as and for the purpose described.

10. A car with draw-head apparatus adapted to act as a cushioned bumperand cushioned draw-head, the bumper draw-head suspended by a link orchain on a transom-bar securedto the car-bottom, and a stiff barconnection with a housed spring secured alsoto the carbottom, thestiff'bar having a chain or flex ble connection with a draw-springattached to the car-truck, the combination being adapted to relieve thetruck and car-body from violent shocks received by the draw or bunt-erhead,

and also to relieve the car-body and its truck from rude jerks orconcussions of cars which may be trailed behind the motor-car,substantially as and for the purpose described.

11. A car with pulling apparatus having attached to the end of thecar-truck a spring adapted to be crushed by a chain-connection with thesliding bar of a spring housed to the floor of the car-body, the slidingbar having connection with a stiff bar whose farther end is fitted forcoupling to another car, this farther end being loosely hung on atransverse bar below the nose-piece of the platform with freedom forvertical and transverse motion, substantially as and for the purposedescribed.

12. A car the truck of which bears all the mechanism of the track-brake,wheel-brake, grip-machine, and grip-machine carrier with its extensions,except the operating levers or handles with their connecting rods andunion rock-shafts, which are directly or indirectly attachments of thecar-body, substantially as and for the purpose described.

18. A car with its body resting on cushions between the body andpedestals, the pedestals being flexibly secured to the body and astridethe axle-boxes, which are firmly secured to the truck-sills, thepedestals being controlled by the axle-boxes, and the car-body beingcontrolled in a limited degree by the pedestals, as and for the purposedescribed.

14. A car with its body supporting at its end an extension of thegrip-carrier, the car body with its extension-support cushioned on fourpedestals or axle-box guides, the pedestals resting on eightbearing-springs sustained by eight pendent limbs of four saddles astridefour axle-boxes, whereby the caraxle, with its wheels, may be movedtransversely of the car without the car-body being materially aifected,substantially as and for the purpose described.

15. A tram cable car of the open or summer class having seats with backsadapted to permit passengers all to face the front end of the car, atwhich isthe place for the operator with the hand-levers, the front seatshaving an indent with three sides inclosed some distance above thefloor, adapted to secure space for the operator to swing the grip-leverand protect passengers from contact, substantially as and for thepurpose described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN STEPHENSON. r

Witnesses:

Jos. B. STEPHENSON, S. A. STEPHENSON.

